Ironing table structure



H. B. FAY

IRONING TABLE STRUGTUREv Driginal Filed Aug. 6, 1938 Patented Oct. 6, 1.942

OFFICE rRoNlNo TABLE STRUCTURE Horace` B. Fay, Willoughby, hio, assignorfto 'Gridiron Steel Company Qriginal uapplication August 6, 1938, Serial .No.4A 223,441. Divided and this application February 12, 1941, Serial No. 378,685 3 `Claims. (Cl. 38-137) example, a conventional board is lapproximately The present invention, relating as indicated to ironing tables, is particularly concerned with the manufacture of a metallic structural element adapted for use as .the top of an ironing table or analogous structure in which strength, absence of re danger, low weight and low costare important. The invention, while adapted for various uses as will be evident from its construc-` tion as hereinafter described will here be illustrated in the form of a folding ironing table of generally conventional type.

The object of my invention is to provide a metal ironing table which combines convenient weight to sufllcient strength, and which has in addition the safety factor which no wooden table can have, namely, the complete elimination ofany fire hazard. A further object is to provide a metal ironing board so constructed and designed that a heating element can be included within the boxlike board structure with absolute freedom from re danger.I Other objects will be apparent in the subsequent description. y

Folding ironing boards have been in use for f not in use. In this structure the wooden top is obviously the weakest element because it is subjected to severe and varying conditions such as heat from the ironing operation, bending movements at the outer unsupported end which is spaced a very considerable distance from the forward legs, compression from the irons weight and the pressure imposed upon it by the user. The repeated absorption and yielding up of moisture, the gradual further drying out of the Wood in some climates, and the rough usage result in checking, warping, cracking and nally in the breaking of the top.

Various attempts have been made to produce ay metal top for an ironing table for analogous uses but without success. The requirements of such an article are severe and varied. Its cost and weight must approximate closely those of a woodance substantially all over its surface to the operating pressure of the iron'and it must withstand severe bending strains imposed upon its forward overhanging end portion which is unsupported for a considerable distance. This end portion is also weakened by being narrowed with respect to the width of the main portion of the board in order to accommodate shirts, sleeves and the like four and one-half feet long, Aoneand one-quarter feet' wide, and in wood Weighs from seven and one-half to nine and one-half pounds, depending upon the particular wood used and the amount of contained moisture at any given time. It must support forty pounds on the extended narrow end without undue deection,.setting or breaking, and it must withstand transverse bending strains of more than that amount. Previous attempts at metal boards have weighed fifty to one hundred percent more than the conventional wooden boards, at twor to three times the cost.

My improved board has the strength and I Weight of a Wooden board at a comparatible cost.

It secures these characteristics by fabricating a given weight ofA metal in the form of sheets into a closed box-like structure of a predetermined minimum compressive strength over its entire area with high resistance to bending moments longitudinally, transversely and diagonally. Its box-like characteristic not only gives it extreme strength for its weight, but lends itself perfectly to the inclusion of electrical heating elements to warm the upper surface and facilitate and hasten the ironing operation, which is one purpose to which the board may be adapted, as is shown and claimed in my copending divisional application Serial No. 304,096 filed Nov. 13', 1939.

'Ihis application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 223,441 led August 6,1938, now Patent 2,233,735, entitled, Ironing table structure. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully'described and particuhen top. It must have uniformminimum resistwhich are slipped over the extending end. For

larly pointed out in the claims; the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain structure embodying the invention, such .disclosed means constituting,

however, but one of various structural forms in which the principle ofthel invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ironing board I suitably secured thereto, the legs being shown v in their extending position and being foldable forwardly about their hinge attachment 2 to the une 4-4 of wp. we ferwaru man beine timed to the legs l as w as the rear supporting rods I.

In m two thinmetal sheets Il and-Il. thebottom beingpressedorindentedtoformaseries ofpr .iections or buttons II-spaeedgabovethe plane of the sheet. Theportions'il maybeof anydesired shape although I prefer to `make them .with curvilinear peripheral outline, either elliptical or round. The top sheet I3 .is likewise provided with projections or buttons It as shown in Iig.' 4. In this construction the buttons of the upper and lower sheets are placed against each other and welded or fastened together. To form a smooth top a third sheet Il is placed over one of the button sheets.

To aid in obtaining vthe desired longitudinal strength without excessive-weight, the edges of the sheets I3 and I4 are flanged downwardly and then rolled or bent to form a stiiiening flange i8 completely around and under the edge or periphery of the board or top T. 'I'he width of this flange should be suiiicient to prevent' lateral buckling and the depth should be such as to supplement the stiiness of the box top proper and increase the strength of the entire structure. The use of such lflange I8 is for practical or commercial reasons rather than strictly structural strength, asit allows for the use of very thin sheets and projections of a depth that are easily pressed into the sheets. In forming the circular or oval projections it is advantageous tohave the projections so arranged that a line connecting the edges I9 of any row will extend beyondl a line connecting the edges of an adjacent row of projections. By this construction the two sheets are formed into a braced girder construction, as well as being formed into merely `a, box, and the strengthlor stiffness of the board is increased. Y

When the projections are not circular in form but are elongated or otherwise shaped, the same general box and girder construction of the two sheets is obtained.

The smooth top sheet Il, as heretofore stated, is plaeedover one ofthe button sheets and sein with the flanges I8 ofthe button sheets to lock the top sheet securely in place.

The weight and thickness of the two sheets of metal forming the board or top should, oi course,

be such as to obtain thedesired lightness and gacaooi y vnie preferred formrof board .or top I use v necessary strength. .particularly -with theoverhang usually employed at the-nose of tho'board. The height of the lprojections or buttons is limited by the stretch'of the metal lem'- pioyed and the spacing therebetween.l

From the foregoing it may be lobserved that my metal boardcombines the strength of a new woodentop with the desirabilityv of long life of metal. 'y The use of my metal top eliminates the cracking and warping of a wooden top. but its greatest advantage is the completeelimination of the iire hazard always heretoforepresent. The

cost of a metal top as described above approxicured in place by its flanges 20, which are rounded mates that ofa'woodentop. y y A In addition, my metal top, being formed in a box-like structure with upper and lower sheets being spaced apart by metallic members. provides natural and necessary avenues in which heating coils such as 2| can be placed so as to give a uniform distribution and consequent uniform temperature all over the board top.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed' instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent oi such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In an ironing board top,. the combination of two indented metal sheets having the projections in contact and rigidly secured together. and a substantially flat third metal sheet mounted on the first two united sheetsand providing a smooth ironing surface. the edges of the three sheets being formed into a securing and reinforcing iiange.

2. In an ironing table top, the combination of two metal sheets spaced apart by means of buttons deformed out of the planes of both'sheets with certain of said buttons secured to each other. and an electric heating element within said top extending through the spaces between said buttons, and aii'at upper sheet coextensive with the aforesaid sheets and overlying the same to provide a smooth ironing surface.

3. Inan two met-al sheets vspaced apart" by means of spaced deformations projecting out of the plane vef beth sheets' with certain of sam spaced deformations secured to each other, and an electric heating .element within said top extending through the spaces between said spaced deformations, and a flat upper sheet coextensive with the aforesaid `sheets and overlying Vthe* same to provide a smooth ironing surface, the three sheets beingsecured together at their edges.

- HORACE B. FAY.

ironing table top, the combination of 

